Wokingham MP John Redwood has said rumours of Tory backbenchers forming a “Brokeback Club” to criticise the Government are fabricated.

Rumours of the new club arose after reports in a national newspaper said ex-shadow Home Secretary David Davis had highlighted growing unrest among Conservatives when he referred to the Government as a “Brokeback Coalition”.

The report claimed Mr Davis named the Government a “Brokeback Coalition,” during a private lunch in South London, in reference to the Oscar-winning Brokeback Mountain film about a gay relationship between two cowboys.

It was reported that Mr Davis attributed the comment to Lord Ashcroft but Mr Davis denies mentioning the term and said he had been misheard.

When asked about Tory backbench MPs forming a club to criticise the coalition, Wokingham MP Mr Redwood said: “Nobody is setting up a Brokeback Club, there is no such thing. I am not promoting it and the reason is because there is not one.”